


You're my best friend

by Sys



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 07:55:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17463587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sys/pseuds/Sys
Summary: This is another terrible attempt at trying to write Chakotay/B'Elanna as fluff. One day I might manage. But this one's... yet another thing closer to flangst. I swear it's not intentionally.





	You're my best friend

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kingstoken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingstoken/gifts).



> Hi! If you received this story and don't like it, please just let me know. (Something along the lines of "No thanks" will do nicely. I'll be happy to remove it, so it's not associated with you any longer.) I hope you're having a fantastic New Year and that you and yours are safe, happy and healthy and remain thus.

The landscape is beautiful. A forest to one side, a meadow with fruit trees (edible, too, but harvesting isn’t their current assignment) to the other... it’s probably the nicest place they’ve visited in months. Years, even. But the gurgling of a small river and the twittering of birds nibbling away at the fruit... all of it worries her. It is too good. Too pretty. Everything about it says to be on her guard. Not to let her tricorder sink for a moment. To be ready to draw her phaser the moment it might be needed. 

Chakotay has no such concerns. He simply looks content and relaxed. And he’s put away his tricoder to admire the landscape minutes ago. Scouting the area’s often a three-four people job. But with a system this littered with potentially interesting planets, they’re stretched thin if they keep a reasonably sized portion of the crew on the Voyager to defend it should the trap not be on the planets but rather lurking somewhere...

“Are you _still_ worried?”

She snarls softly.

“B’Elanna we’ve scanned for lifesigns from the ship. And we’ve scanned after we landed. There is no one here.”

“That the scanners can detect.”

He doesn’t tell her that she’s worse than Seven and Tuvok combined, sometimes. But she can imagine that he’d like to. It makes for an interesting change that she almost wished one (or both) of those were with them for this. But no, both on the Voyager to guard the ship. Which is a good thing in case it’s the Voyager the trap’s been laid for. Those two and the Doctor should be enough to make anyone reconsider their prize.

Silence stretches for a while, but she feels a mounting frustration.

“There is nothing here for me. Neelix and his crews should be on this planet. I could be running a full...”

“You haven’t been off the ship for a couple of months. It’s your turn to get out a little.”

“Blatant favoritism.” 

He shrugs. 

“The Captain okayed this.”

“Well she doesn’t know...”

For a moment he does look mildly annoyed. 

“ _I_ would have told her right away.”

“And have the rest of the crew discuss whether we can or can’t do this? No thanks.”

“B’Elanna...”

“Look, why don’t we pick a few samples for further analysis and finish this little trip? Three hours, right? That gives us about 90 minutes to finish this and beam back. Not sure it’s even worth it to fly back here with a bigger group to do the harvesting...”

“Fuel for people actually is as important as fuel for your...”

“I don’t like this place. It’s too nice. Too serene...”

Too much like what he’d deserve. Too close to what it must’ve been like for him, growing up. Too close to what he left behind...

“What’s really bothering you?”

“If you could, you’d just stay here, wouldn’t you?”

He looks away, telling her that she’s right. That enjoying this just means that he’ll be sadder again, going back. 

“I wouldn’t like it here without you.”

“You’re saying that now.”

“And I’ll say it again in a year. Or five. We met over a decade ago. Do you think I’ll suddenly change my mind?”

“That was different.”

Chakotay doesn’t reply. What he does do is walk off the path they chose beside the forest, and into the meadow. It’s pure instinct to follow, even as he lies down and studies the sun. To sit down, too, when it feels too awkward to stand beside him. Silence stretches again and she shifts, uncomfortably, even though the ground’s comparatively soft.

“If this doesn’t work out...” he says, after what feels like forever. “You will still be my best friend.”

Oddly that thought is more comforting than it should be. It reminds her of grabbed hands, seeking comfort. Of fingers grasping her shoulder. Of gentle smiles and heart-to-hearts. He’s good with that. And it is inviting, of course. With no other teams nearby...

She leans above him for the kiss. Just a gentle one. It’s not like they actually should be wasting time like this.... there are still miles left to explore. But it suits her to feel his fingers in her hair. Suits her, too, that he doesn’t remind her that it’s time to get back to work. Two minutes won’t change their results. But they’ll do wonders to restore her faith.


End file.
